Home / Environment / NJ Data Center Leaks 5,000 Gallons of Fuel
NJ Data Center Leaks 5,000 Gallons of Fuel
5 Oct
Summary
- Thousands of gallons of diesel fuel spilled into a Hackensack River tributary.
- The leak occurred at Equinix's NY2 facility in Secaucus on September 11.
- Cleanup efforts have recovered 3,500 gallons of fuel so far.
A substantial diesel fuel release impacted a tributary of the Hackensack River in Secaucus, New Jersey, originating from Equinix's NY2 data center. The incident occurred on the evening of September 11, with an estimated 5,000 gallons of fuel escaping from a storage tank.
Operations staff at the Equinix facility detected and stopped the leak, subsequently engaging Clean Harbors for remediation. While initial reports suggested a "computer glitch," Equinix stated that two broken valves were the cause.
Over the weekend, cleanup crews successfully recovered around 3,500 gallons of the spilled fuel. Officials confirmed the fuel did not reach the Hackensack River itself and reported no observed impacts on local wildlife or drinking water intakes.
This event follows similar diesel spills at New Jersey data centers in 2017 and 2022, with this latest incident involving a larger volume of fuel. The increasing reliance on backup diesel generators for data centers, which saw capacity grow significantly from 20 GW in 2018 to 55 GW in 2024, highlights potential environmental risks associated with these facilities.
